Lubricating system for sewing machines



May 2, 1939. c. c. SMITH LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1936 IUNVENTOQ: Clarence ASmLth,

ORNEYS.

f 29 i i 25 a2 4 'WI'TNESSES: INVENTOR:

%% a Clamnm L. Sinfu /h BY- I I I '1 y 2, 1939- c. CIJSMITH 2,156,547

LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 RNEYS.

y 1939- c. c. YSMITIQ-I 2,156,547

LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1936 3 SheetS -Sheet 3 FIG. Y

I N V EN TOR.-

Marmot a Smith, I

I eating system.

Patented May 2, 1939 Y i s PAT T OFFICE f UNITED s'rA 'rE chi-ante 0. Smith, Chicago, m., assig nor to Union Special Machine Comp ny, Chicago, 11]., a corv poration' of Illinois Application April 4, 1936, Serial No. 12,159 '3 Claims. (Cl. 184-6) This invention relates to lubricating systems Fig. IV is a perspective view of a securing clip for sewing machines. for the oil reservoir. Modern sewing machines, particularly indus- Fig. V is a view, partly in elevation and partly trial sewing machines, are complicated mechain axial section, of the drive shaft assembly of 5 nisms designed for operation at high speeds, and the sewing machine showing incorporated pro- 5 their longevity and satisfactory performance is visions for distribution of oil to bearings-therefor accordingly dependent upon proper lubrication at and to various eccentrics mounted on-said shaft. all times. With sewing machines as ordinarily I Fig. VI shows the right hand end elevation of constructed, lubrication was very often neglected the shaft.

due to' the tedious and time consuming task of Fig. VIIis a view partly in elevation and partly 10 iilling the numerous relatively inaccessible oil in axial section of a double eccentric and cam holes leading to the various working parts and member associated with the drive shaft. especially so since it necessitated stoppage of the Figs. VIII and DI respectively are left and right machines. Moreover, forgetfulness on the part hand end views of the double eccentric and cam of the operatorsto lubricate any one of the many nieinber. I

parts, resulted in the rapid wear-of such parts Fig. X is an axial sectional view of another with the necessity for frequent and costly reeccentric associated with the driveshaft of the placements, as -well as idling of the machines machine. M until the repairs could be made. Fig. X1 shows the. righ hand end *view of the The chief aim of my invention is to preclude eccentric pictured in Fig. X; and contingencies such as those to which attention Figs. XII and XIII are views correspondlng'to has been directed above, which desideratum I Figs; X and XI of still another eccentric of the realize in practice, as hereinafter more fully dismachine. I closed, through provision of a simple force feed The sewing machine herein illustrated is lubricating system whereina displacement means genera ly o the yp disclosed in Patent 25 with a capacity greater than that required at any 1.751.508 ed t Norman Christensen and time serves to maintain a. constant circulation of Frederick F. Zeier on March 25, 1930. Briefly lubricating oil. through and past the various movdescribed, the machine comprises a hollow base ing parts of the sewing machine,.and wherein the l whereof the top 2 serves as a work support, the operating pressure is governed by overflow from machine being mou te on a Sewing table the displacing means and the return of the excess dicated at 3. Rising from the base I is a standard oil to an original source 'of supply. 6 with laterally spaced front and rear projections A further aim of my invention is to attain the 5 and 6 with inset bearing bushings I and 8 foregoing advantages without wastage of lubrifor a shaft 9 which is inclined somewhat to the cant through provision of efllcient means for colhorizontal, and to which, at the left hand or rear 35 lecting the drip. oil from the lubricated parts, end, in Fig. I is secured a combined hand and straining out sediment and foreign matter and belt wheel ill so that themachine can be opdirecting the recovered oil to the original supply era-ted either manually or through a belt II with source for re-use. a motor or a power shaft (not shown) beneath Another object ofmy invention is to provide, the table 8. Confined to vertical reciprocation in connection with a lubricating system char-' in a bushing l2 set into a forwardly-reaching acterized as above,v a simple and reliable means 1 projection i3 of the standard is a needle bar It, devoid of moving parts for visually indicating which, at its lower end, carries a needle IS, the whether or not the system is functioning properly. latter cooperating as usual with alooper or Other objects and corresponding advantages loopers (not shown) within the hollow of the 5 will appear from the following detailed descripmachinebase I. Reciprocatory movement is imtion of the attached drawings, whereof parted to the needle bar I! through the medium Fig. I is a view, partly in side elevation, and of alink ltbyadynamically-balanced integrallypartly in longitudinal section, of a. sewing ma- 'formed crank disk 11 at the front end of the shaft chine conveniently embodying the lubricating 9. The looper or loopers and other parts within system of my invention. 7 the hollow base I of the machine are actuated, Fig. 11 shows the machine in front elevation. through downward strap rod connections l8, 19, Fig. 111 is a perspective view of a reservoir 20 and 2|, by eccentrics 22, 23, 24 and 25 on the forming the source of oil supply for the lubrishaft 9. The presser foot 26 of the machine is in this instance carried by an arm 21 fulcrumed on the machine frame, said presser foot being yieldingly urged downward by a presser bar 28 which is axially guided in the front projection 5 of the standard 4 and which at its lower end bears upon said arm 2'! as shown in Fig. I. The interval between the projections 5 and 6 of the standard 4 is closed by a separately attached cover 29 for projection of the moving parts within it.

The force feed circulating lubricating system with which the present invention is more especially concerned, comprises an oil reservoir 30 which is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 111, said reservoir being of oblong rectangular configuration and provided at opposite ends with concaved projecting tongues 3|. As shown in Figs. I and II, the oil reservoir 30 is suspended from the bottom of the table 3 beneath the sewing machine by clips 32 whereof one is illustrated in perspective in Fig. IV, which are secured by screws 33 and which have concaved tongues 34 for underreaching the tongues 3| of said reservoir. Accordingly, when oil replenishment or renewal is necessary, the reservoir 30 can be easily and quickly removed by lifting it slightly to disengage its tongues 3| from the concavities of the tongues 34 on the clips 32 and then 'moving it laterally to clear said clips. In the bottom of the hollow base I is a pan or sink 35 for engaging drip oil from the lubricated parts of the machine. Centrally of the pan 35 is a drain pipe 36 which extends downward through an opening 31 in the table 3 into a subdivision set apart at one end of the reservoir 30 by a transverse wire mesh partition 38. To the bottom end of the drain pipe 36 is detachably secured a strainer 39, so that the collected drip oil is thoroughly filtered before it passes into the larger subdivision of the reservoir 3|].

The oil is circulated in the system by action of a plunger piston 40 which reciprocates in the axial bore 4| of an integrally formed vertical boss 42 at the interior of the cover 29, see Fig. I, said bore being closed at the top by a removable screw plug 43. A helical spring 44 in compression between the bottom end of the boss 42 and a head 45 at the corresponding end of the plunger 40, yieldingly maintains said head in contact with a rotary cam 46 centrally between and integrally formed with the eccentrics 22 and 23 (see Figs. I and VII) on the shaft 9. During the suction strokes of the plunger 40, oil is drawn from the reservoir 30 through a tube 41 which extends upward to an intake check valve 48 at one side of the pump; strokes of said plunger, the oil is forced past a check valve 49 at the opposite side of the pump. into a coiled tube 50 which connects with a. vertical bore constituting a pressure chamber 5| within the projection 5 of the standard 4. From the pressure chamber 5|, the oil flows through a port 52 into an annular channel 53 (Fig. I) internally of the bearing bushing I and from thence, through a number of communicating radial ports 54 in the shaft 9, to the axial bore 55 within the latter, said bore terminating inward of the left hand end of said shaft and being closed at its right hand end by a screw plug 56, all as shown in Figs. I and V. From the shaft bore 55, the oil is distributed, by way of a number of other radial ports 51, 58, 59 and 60 to circumferential channels 6|, 62, 63 and 64 interiorly of said eccentrics, see Figs. V and V'I-IHIL' It will be particularly noted that the internal channels GI, 62, 63 and 64 within the eccenand during the pressure.

tries 22, 23, 24 and 25 are in themselves eccentric in respect to the shaft 9 and consequently the oil is forced from them by centrifugal action through radial ports 65, 66, 61 and 68 in said eccentrics to the outer surfaces of the latter. At its left hand end, the shaft 9 is provided with a radial port 69 which leads to the bore of the bearing bushing 8. As shown in Fig. I, the bearing bushings I and 8 are respectively formed at their left hand ends with annular gutters 10 and II which receive the oil that flows past the bearing surfaces. The annular gutter 10 in the bearing bushing spills directly into the underlying pan or sink 35, while the oil from the annular gutter 1| in the bearing bushing 8 is directed to said trough or sink by a downwardly inclined duct 12 inwardly of the hollow base I and thereby prevented from spilling over onto the combined hand wheel and pulley in.

As hereinbefore stated the pump has a capacity in excess of the amount of oil requisite to adequate lubrication of the moving parts of the machine. Accordingly, provisions are made for returning such excess oil. to the reservoir 30, these provisions including an overflow return pipe 15 which leads downward into the larger subdivision of said reservoir from a fitting l6 screwed into the upper end of the pressure chamber 5|. Interposed in the fitting 16 is a sight glass 11, see Fig. II, which serves as a visible indicator whereby the'operator can at all times see whether or not the system is functioning properly.

The machine herein shown and described is of course to be regarded as typical of other forms of sewing machines with which my improved force feed circulating lubricating system can be incorporated with attainment of advantages equal in all respects to those hereinbefore pointed out.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a sewing machine comprising a shaft with a number of eccentrics thereon, and strap rods associated with the eccentrics for imparting motion to various instrumentalities of the machine mechanism; the combination of a force feed circulating lubricating system including an oil reservoir, a. pump having a capacity greater than that required for the machine for drawing oil from the reservoir, a pressure chamber receiving I the oil from the pump and communicating with an axial hollow of the shaft, from which hollow the oil is distributed by way of radial ports to eccentric channels around the shaft internally of the eccentrics and continually forced under centrifugal action from the deeper portions of said eccentric channels to the outer surfaces of the eccentrics, and provisions for returning the excess oil from the pressure chamber to the reservoir.

2. In a sewing machine comprising a shaft with a number of eccentrics thereon, strap rods associated with the eccentrics for imparting motion to various instrumentalities of the machine mechanism, and bearings for said shaft; the combination of a force feed circulating lubricating system including an oil reservoir, a pump having a greater capacity than that required for the machine for drawing oil from the reservoir, a pressurechamber receiving 011 from the pump and communicating with an axial hollow of the shaft from which hollow the oilis distributed by way of radial ports to the shaft bearings, and by way of other radial ports to eccentric channels around the shaft internally of the eccentrics and continually forced under centrifugal action from the deeper portions of said eccentric channels .to

, the, outer surfaces of the eccentrics, and provi- 3. In a sewing machine comprising a hollow base, a standard rising from the base and afiording spaced bearings for a shaft with rotary membets thereon between said bearings for actuating various instrumentalities of the sewing machine within the hollow of the base, and a cover closing the space between said bearings; the combination of a force feed circulating lubricating system including an oil reservoir beneath the machine base, a pump chamber afiorded by the cover aforesaid, a pump piston actuated from the shaft and effective to draw oil in excess of that required for the machine, means for conducting oil from the pump to a pressure chamber in one of the bearings, said pressure chamber being incommunication with anaxial hollow of the shaft wherefrom the oil is distributed by way of radial ports to the shaft bearings and to the rotary members aforesaid, and provisions for returning the excess oil from the pressure chamber to the reservoir.

v 4. In a sewing machine, ahollow drive shaft with radial ports at intervals along its length;

neccentrics on the shaft; strap rods associated with the eccentrics for actuating various instrumentalities of the machine mechanism, said eccentrics having internal grooves providing eccentric channels around the shaft respectively in registry with the radial ports of the latter, and having ports leading from said eccentric channels to their strapbearing surfaces; and means for delivering lubricant into the hollow of the shaft for distribution by way of its radial ports to theeccentric channels within the eccentrics, and from thence continually by centrifugal action from the deeper portions of said channels through the ports in said eccentrics to the strap bearing surfaces.

5. In a sewing machine, a hollow drive shaft with radial ports at intervals along its-length; bearings in line with the endmost ports in which the ends of the shaft are iournalled; a chamber for lubricant above one of the bearings and communicating laterally with an-annular channel around the corresponding endmost radial port of the shaft; a plurality of eccentrics on the shaft in the interval between the bearings, said eccentrics having internal grooves providing eccentric channels around the shaft which respectively register with the intermediate radial ports of the latter, and ports 1 from said eccentric channels to the eccentric bearing surfaces; and means for delivering lubricant under pressure into the hollow of the shaft for distribution by way 4 of the endmost, radial ports of the latter to the shaft bearings, and by. way of the intermediate radial ports to the eccentric channels within the eccentrics, and continually forced from the high .points of said channels under centrifugal action through the ports in said eccentrics to the eccentric bearing surfaces. Q

6. In a sewing machine, a hollow drive shaft at an inclination to the horizontalhaving radial ports at intervals along its length; bearings in line with the endmost radial ports in which the ends of the shaft are journalled; a chamber for' lubricant above the higher of thetwo bearings and communicating with an annular channel around the corresponding endmost radial port of said shaft; and a plurality of eccentrics on the shaft in the interval between the bearings, said eccentrics having internal grooves providing eccentric channels around the shaft which respectively register with the intermediate radial ports of said shaft, and ports leading from said eccentric channels to the eccentric bearing surfaces, whereby the oil is continually forced under centrifugal action from the high points of said chan- V nels to said bearing surfaces.

'I. Inc. sewing machine, a hollow drive shaft with radial ports at intervals along its length;

. hearings in line with the endmost radial-ports in ing from said eccentric channels to the eccentric bearing surfaces; a lubricant reservoir at a level beneath the shaft; and means on the shaft for actuating the pump aforesaid to draw lubricant from the reservoir and deliver it under pressure into the lubricant chamber for distribution, by way of the hollow of the shaft and its radial end ports, to the shaft bearings and to the eccentric channels within the eccentrics andcontinually forced from the high points of said channels under centrifugal action through the ports in said eccentrics to the eccentric bearings.

CLARENCE C. SMITH. 

